Jail for callous con-woman who targeted Leeds pensioner

A woman burglar stole from a pensioner after posing as a police officer to explain why she was in his home.

The 68-year-old victim who had suffered a stroke and had mobility problems was in his flat in a residential block for the retired in Harehills around 11pm on December 13 last year when Leanne Michelle Pearce suddenly walked into the living room.

She told him she was a police officer investigating inappropriate behaviour involving children on computers. The pensioner immediately said she could examine his computer and would find nothing, Robert Galley prosecuting told Leeds Crown Court.

He had been in bed shortly before and she told him to go and get dressed, when he did and returned he saw her taking his wallet from the living room table.

She said she was going to check with his credit card to see if it had been used to pay for any indecent images, taking down his PIN number from a notice board and said she would only be about 10 minutes. The wallet also had £35 in cash in it.

He suspected she was not who she had said she was but did not know what to do. When she did not return he reported what had happened to his bank the following day.

Lindsey Lobley representing Pearce said her client accepted the pensioner’s account of what had happened and was disgusted at herself.

Pearce, 29 of Poplar Court, Bramley, Leeds was jailed for a total of four years four months after admitting the burglary, fraud using the card and attempted burglary.

Judge Neil Clark told her they were “mean and unpleasant offences” .

“You stole from someone who was particularly vulnerable and knew that was the situation.”